Saturday, 17 March 2012

Endings in action

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB JA X-NONE

Trying to work through various issues in relation to our project at Bend in the River (collaborating on this with Neil Webb and supported by Kate Buckley). Developing a title for the work is tricky. This is because the work involves creating a piece of software which allows us to download a potentially finite list (or infinite depending on where you are coming from) of 'endings'. For example "all planes grounded", " all sleep slept", "all hopes dashed", "all eyes peeled", "all clothes washed" etc. etc. ad infinitum. Of course, the list needs to imply that it is productive rather than reductive, that is, by producing endings, or by gathering them and 'showing' them that it is a form of ongoing labour in some way, and that, like Arakawa and Gins' philosophical play on their decision 'not to die', the very fact that the list is being produced, is confirmation that the list is never going to end, and thus, 'we' will not die. The fact that this incarnation of the work will exist in a deconsecrated church adds to its eschatological leanings.

But key issues are, is it a production, or a gathering? Is it a representation or some form of ruination of representation? Is the ruin then productive or reductive?

We started with "end of ends".....it may be fitting that is where we finish.